The Sign Lounge
9., Liechtenstein-
strasse 104-106
0664 964 32 76
Mon-Sun 18:00-2:00
thesignlounge.atIt’s not every day you order a drink and get
an aquarium. Even less so in Vienna, a
town known for its conservative tastes,
where classics like mojitos and piña cola-
das still dominate the bar scene. Yet The
Sign Lounge, a charming little dive tucked
away on Liechtensteinstrasse in the
9th district offers all that and more, along
with interesting twists on the classics.
A few of their more notable concoctions
are the Malbrett (painting palette), which
lets you create your own drink using a
paintbrush and three differently flavored
syrups; the Manneken Pis, served from a
miniature version of the fountain in
Brussels, and the Kentucky Cream, a cock-
tail that comes in a box of caramel popcorn.
In fact, it was thanks to the extraordi-
nary appearance of their many specialty
cocktails that The Sign Lounge became as
popular as it is today. Owner/bartender
Kan Zuo told me, “When smartphones and
social media just started getting big, all of
our cocktails were suddenly being photo-
graphed and posted. And then one night,
the whole bar was packed. At first we
thought we were just lucky, but it has
stayed that way every weekend since.”REELING IN THE GUESTS
Concealed behind an inconspicuous fa-
cade with oodles of empty bottles standing
proudly in the window, The Sign Lounge
confirms the old adage that you shouldn’t
judge a book by its cover. Once inside, you’ll
find an impeccably designed, sleek yet
cozy environment, alternating light walls
with dark furniture. With comfy chairs
and flattering, soft lighting, it is as inviting
as it is beautiful. If you look around, you
may notice various quirky little details: A
Buddha statue, a Russian matryoshka doll,
and a stuffed hamster beam at you from
across the bar, giving the cutting-edge inte-
rior some extra charm and warmth.
The Sign Lounge has won numerous
awards, including “Bar of the Year” at the
Mixology Awards in 2015 and 2016, and
Falstaff ’s “Bartender of the Year” in 2015.
As I sipped a drink called Gin Gin Gin
Mule, it became apparent why: It was deli-
ciously tangy, boasting the perfect booze-
to-ginger beer ratio; the copper mug it
came in was garnished with mint leaves,
fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of pow-
dered sugar. But it pales in comparison to
The Sign Lounge’s #instafamous signaturedrink Fish and Tonic: The whimsical con-
coction, served in a glass bowl with a
mechanical clownfish swimming happily
around in it, has rightfully claimed its
place on the unofficial throne for most
share-worthy drink.QUITE THE CATCH
Fish are indeed a recurring theme at The
Sign Lounge. As Zuo’s zodiac sign is Pisces,
even their house gin is adorned with kois;
the same can be seen on his right arm in
tattoo form. Another focus is hospitality:
Sure enough, right after taking a seat, a
pitcher of water and a bowl of pretzel
snacks materialized seemingly out of thin
air. The restrooms take it to another level,
stocking every knickknack one could hope
for: Makeup remover, face powder and
body lotion leave their lavatory better
stocked than most hotels.
But to Zuo, it’s all part of being the per-
fect host. “We want our guests to feel wel-
come, by having conversations or serving
drinks, water and snacks. We want them to
feel like a fish in water – completely com-
fortable.” Cheers to that – and thanks for allPHOTO: MEDIANOMIA. the fish!
ON TONIGHT
cocktail barSign of the Times
Outstanding mixology and hospitality make The Sign
Lounge the perfect bar for the Instagram generation
by Corinna Berger